We have all seen news about celebrities and their scandals; Mel Gibson, Charlie Sheen, Justin Bieber, Miley Cyrus to name a few. Recently, actors Bill Cosby and Steven Collins, who played respectable fathers in regular sitcoms, sitcoms that I watched, are now the latest to be embroiled in scandal. Of course, there are two sides to the story. Our society tends to idolize celebrities, so when these kinds of stories come out we tend to be in disbelief.

But should we be surprised as our country approaches a “Godless Age.”  According to a 2012 Gallup-International poll, the number of "convinced atheists" in the United States has risen from 1 % in 2005 to 5 % in 2012. There are more convinced atheists than those in the Jewish faith. According to the Gallup Poll, no other religion increased in numbers other than atheists! And one in five Americans are unaffiliated with any religion.

Are we approaching difficult days?  “But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy,  unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal,  haters of good,  treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,  holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power. Avoid such men as these." (2 Timothy 3:1-5).

“Are they ashamed of their loathsome conduct? No, they have no shame at all; they do not even know how to blush.” (Jeremiah 6:13-15).

The biggest danger of all is to our future generation is buying into the lie that Satan is throwing out there, that sin is ok, and God does not exist.  Sin is not ok! And God does exist! We have to teach our children that God is real, that God cares deeply for us, and that His Laws are for our good.  We have to teach our children that there are consequences for sin and point out examples of bad choices leading to bad results. Also point out good examples of people who are trying to live God’s way of life and are being blessed for it. "Then it shall come to pass, because you listen to these judgments, and keep and do them, that the Lord your God will keep with you the covenant and the mercy which He swore to your fathers. And He will love you and bless you and multiply you . . . You shall be blessed above all peoples". (Deuteronomy 7:12-14).  Notice: It's for your good.

While you make your decisions in how to live, remember this admonishment from God.  “Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes;  but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment.” (Ecclesiastes 11:9)

These bad examples in the public eye are great teaching moments for us and for our children.  While God wants us to enjoy life, He also reminds us of consequences that will follow with our decisions of good or bad; blessings or cursing. 

As the world becomes more Godless, we must become stronger in our faith in God,  because God is good and upright and in Him there will be no shame but only blessings.